3560 Bathurst St, North York ON 416.785.2500
This week, a friend of mine, whose 90+ year-old mother is a resident of Baycrest, told me when he asked his mother how she likes Baycrest, she replied, "...well, it's a nice building!" What's my point? Why would someone intentionally come to a hospital cafeteria? You're likely here to see a sick or dying relative or friend or you're an employee or a volunteer. So, what's my point again? I was finishing a visit with my not-so-well relative, and my mood wasn't perky. I wasn't looking for fine cuisine. It was Sunday at about noon, and the restaurant had just opened. What I got was a mixed bag. I ordered a mushroom quiche and side salad. The salad was fresh, but roughly hewn. Basic. The dressing was watery and tasteless. The quiche was rather disgusting -- over-microwaved, rubbery, lacking in taste and with few mushrooms. The crust was thin and soggy. The other person in my party ordered a salad with a dollop of mushed tuna. Same salad, and it's hard to go too wrong with tuna-salad. She enjoyed it.
The prices were very fair -- about $11.50 for both of us (no coffee).The servers were pleasant, but quite slow. Parking can be easy, if you're lucky enough to get a spot on the street or near by, otherwise, be prepared to pay between $5 to $11.50 for hospital parking lot.
The setting is pleasant. There is lots of seating near a large open-air atrium. So my friend's mother is right. It is a nice building. Just be careful of what you order.
I checked the DineSafe website, and found they have passed all inspections listed (from Dec. 2006 to Jan. 2008).
Monday, July 14, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
June 2008 - My Zaidy's Pizza
441 Clark Avenue West, Thornhill, ON L4J 6W7 905.731.3029
Another mediocre pizza & falafel joint. It's far from fine cuisine, but it's a good place to "grab a bite", if grabbing a bite is your thing. My friends and I went there at lunch time, and it was crowded, dirty and noisy. I had a falafel, which was mostly good, certainly not above that. The other people I was with had pizza slices and had praises such as "it's OK". My pizza was $4, so that's a bonus -- I guess you get what you pay for.
Parking is pretty good, as it is in the "Sobey's Plaza", with a large parking lot. There was no visible or easily accessible washroom.
Don't take someone here for a first date. It won't impress.
Another mediocre pizza & falafel joint. It's far from fine cuisine, but it's a good place to "grab a bite", if grabbing a bite is your thing. My friends and I went there at lunch time, and it was crowded, dirty and noisy. I had a falafel, which was mostly good, certainly not above that. The other people I was with had pizza slices and had praises such as "it's OK". My pizza was $4, so that's a bonus -- I guess you get what you pay for.
Parking is pretty good, as it is in the "Sobey's Plaza", with a large parking lot. There was no visible or easily accessible washroom.Don't take someone here for a first date. It won't impress.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
May 2008 - Marky's Deli
280 Wilson Ave., Toronto, ON, M3H 1S8 416.638.1081
In May, I was here three times for dinner. Marky's has been around for years -- it is a Toronto institution. It's the quintessential Toronto kosher deli. It's Ashkenazik comfort food. The service is adequate to good -- not great. The food is good -- not great. It's clean. It's got a very good selection -- from classic (tongue, fricassee, corned beef, pastrami), to veggie, to light (chicken breast salad).
When the owner is around, he walks around, is friendly, and schmoozes a bissel. The prices are fair. In the 3 times we were there, the total, including tax and tip (for four people) came to between $50-$60 (but that was just for a main courses, no drinks and no desserts).
It's casually comfortable and consistent. It's a place you can take a non-Jewish client without feeling embarrassed. I took a client there about a year ago for lunch, and he found a "BLT" (beef fry, lettuce and tomato) sandwich. He even ordered it on white bread with mayo. He liked it!
The washrooms are downstairs and reasonably clean. Parking in the less-than-inviting strip mall is sometimes difficult. I was lucky 3 of the 4 times, and found a spot in front of the restaurant. The others in my group found parking spots a few minutes away.
I checked the DineSafe website, and found they have passed all inspections listed (from Aug. 06 to Feb. 08).
In May, I was here three times for dinner. Marky's has been around for years -- it is a Toronto institution. It's the quintessential Toronto kosher deli. It's Ashkenazik comfort food. The service is adequate to good -- not great. The food is good -- not great. It's clean. It's got a very good selection -- from classic (tongue, fricassee, corned beef, pastrami), to veggie, to light (chicken breast salad).When the owner is around, he walks around, is friendly, and schmoozes a bissel. The prices are fair. In the 3 times we were there, the total, including tax and tip (for four people) came to between $50-$60 (but that was just for a main courses, no drinks and no desserts).
It's casually comfortable and consistent. It's a place you can take a non-Jewish client without feeling embarrassed. I took a client there about a year ago for lunch, and he found a "BLT" (beef fry, lettuce and tomato) sandwich. He even ordered it on white bread with mayo. He liked it!
The washrooms are downstairs and reasonably clean. Parking in the less-than-inviting strip mall is sometimes difficult. I was lucky 3 of the 4 times, and found a spot in front of the restaurant. The others in my group found parking spots a few minutes away.
I checked the DineSafe website, and found they have passed all inspections listed (from Aug. 06 to Feb. 08).
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